NEET protests: From PM Modi's assurance to Sonam Wangchuk ending fast – What happened in last 24 hours
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi made two announcements – one written and another through a self-recorded video on X - the government appointed IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as new education secretary, replacing incumbent officer Vineet Joshi.
The Union government has taken multiple steps over the past 24 hours, apparently to defuse the mounting anger over the NEET paper leak controversy, as students intensify their protests, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Amid these efforts, activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his hunger strike at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram in the presence of two Union ministers.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi made two announcements – one on X and another through a self-recorded video- the government appointed IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar as Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, replacing incumbent officer Vineet Joshi.
Quick answers to key questions
The Indian government has established a fast-track court to address NEET paper leak cases and appointed a new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education. Prime Minister Modi also announced tougher anti-paper leak measures and promised swift justice for culprits.
Students are protesting against Dharmendra Pradhan due to allegations of his failures in handling the NEET paper leaks, which have significantly impacted hundreds of thousands of students and their families.
Prime Minister Modi responded by addressing the issue through social media, announcing new laws for stringent punishments for paper leaks, and highlighting the government's commitment to fast-track legal proceedings against wrongdoers.
Sonam Wangchuk ended his hunger strike after prolonged negotiations with the government and concerns about possible violence, indicating a need for resolution amid ongoing protests.
Many students and activists, including the Cockroach Janta Party, believe protests should continue until all demands, including the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan and accountability for the NEET paper leak, are met.
The government set up a fast-track Court at the Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital to try paper leak cases. The move came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it on Thursday morning in a social media post.
PM Modi’s announcement came as crowds continued to swell around Jantar Mantar — the main protest site in Delhi. The protest by the Cockroach Janta Party began on 20 June. The students are demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan over a series of failures, including leaked test questions in NEET -- the country’s largest medical entrance exam .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh bid in the night as students prepared nationwide protests on Friday, with demands growing for the education minister to step down.
PM Modi posted a video on his X account late Thursday, saying the paper leak was “not a trivial matter” and “extremely painful” for hundreds of thousands of students and their parents. He said the culprits had been caught and his government is pushing for “fast-track courts and stringent punishments.”
"More strict actions against paper leaks to come in tomorrow's Cabinet."
Modi also said the Centre is preparing a new law to crack down on examination paper leaks, announcing that a draft Bill providing for fast-track courts and stringent punishment will be taken up by the Union Cabinet on Friday before being introduced in Parliament during the Monsoon Session.
"Paper leak is not a minor issue. It has caused immense pain to lakhs of students and their parents," the prime minister said.
Between the two announcements, the Government transferred Education Secretary Vineet Joshi. IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar was appointed as Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, an official government notification said late Thursday night. Joshi has been transferred to Secretary in the Department of Panchayati Raj.
The protesting students have been demanding accountability and education reforms.
The government also attempted to speak with CJP representatives. In the afternoon, Union Minister Jitendra Singh invited CJP for another round of talks. The CJP insisted a neutral venue. Now, reports suggest that the talks will happen at Constitution club in central Delhi.
Wangchuk ends hunger strike
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, on Thursday night, ended his 26-day hunger strike at a hospital in the presence of Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Minister Jitendra Singh, marking a significant development amid the ongoing nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
“This was done following lengthy negotiations over various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country,” Sonam said in a post on Thursday night, sharing pictures with Union Ministers.
In another post, PM Modi urged Sonam Wangchuk to follow his routine as per the doctors' advice and regain her old weight as soon as possible.
“I pray to the Lord that Sonam ji remains healthy,” Modi wrote late at nght.
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) on Thursday lamented that the prime minister, through his fast-track court annoucement, was focusing on remedies after the damage was done, rather than addressing the root cause. Its founder Abhijeet Dipke welcomed Sonam's decision to end fast but vowed to continue protest until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.
The CJP has reiterated that it will continue its protests until the Government accepts its demands seeking Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, ₹1 crore compensation for families of children who died by suicide, and no prosecution of peaceful protesters during the 20 July march to Parliament.
(With agency inputs)
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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